Friday, 3 August 2018

Netaji: Living Dangerously by Kingshuk Nag (Book Review: 3.25*/5) !!!

One of the great leaders who are considered as a pioneer in making the independence possible for India is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. But the upset is that rather than talking about his contribution, people are more interested in discussing his death which is very unfortunate for a leader of his class and calibre. There are many articles and documentaries created on this concept to clarify Netaji’s death and give the final conclusion but still the topic continues to haunt Indians every now and then. The recent declassification of his files by NDA government has again raised several questions about his death. In such times, Kingshuk Nag has again released a book as per the contemporary conditions on this death mystery itself named “Netaji: Living Dangerously”.

Kingshuk Nag has always released his book at the perfect time when it is most needed. And this time, his book is not just another book which will be lost in shelves but people will have to pick it up and read as he has discussed almost all the theories running about Netaji’s mysterious death and has assured that he does not leave even a single of them. The book is divided in 10 different chapters with each giving its own theory. The book is written in a very professional manner as an editorial article which makes it boring at times and you want to skip lines and move ahead as quickly as possible. Another problem that I have with the publication is the small font size used to print this book which makes it very inconvenient to read the book.

The book is very well-researched and author’s efforts are evidently visible right from the first page. It is very difficult to write on such a serious topic without giving a single statement which can raise controversy and Kingshuk has been able to assure this safety to himself. The book is interesting in terms of knowing so many theories that had been discussed during Netaji’s sudden disappearance. The quotes from the family members in between the chapters come as refreshment and ensures that you get to relate with the plight of the Netaji’s family members what they had to go through in all these years.

The biggest problem with the book is a little bias the author has shown towards his belief on a particular theory and he keeps on claiming its worthiness in every chapter between the lines while discussing other theories. Right from the start of the book, the author has tried to prove his point of view incessantly which makes it hard for the reader to trust the justice made to other theories. This is the only thing which stops from making this book one of the most recommended ones in the genre. I give this book 3.25 stars out of 5. Do read it if you are really interested in knowing about Netaji’s death mystery in detail.